


Shadow of the People I Loved

by MurderousFish (unanimouslydistortedreality), unanimouslydistortedreality



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Altean Lance (Voltron), BAMF Lance (Voltron), Black Paladin Lance (Voltron), Drama, F/M, Gay Disaster Shiro (Voltron), M/M, Nonbinary Pidge | Katie Holt, Pining Keith (Voltron), Slow Burn, Team as Family, Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It, blue paladin shiro, klance is endgame
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-11
Updated: 2019-02-03
Packaged: 2019-10-08 02:00:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17377439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unanimouslydistortedreality/pseuds/MurderousFish, https://archiveofourown.org/users/unanimouslydistortedreality/pseuds/unanimouslydistortedreality
Summary: For six years Lance believed Allura had died leaving him behind with nothing to show but Altean markings. He returns to the good fight only to immediately die in a blaze of glory- but something weird happens and he wakes up, eight years in the past only hours before the greatest journey of his life was fated to begin.OrLance travels back in time, saves the universe, mends his heart, falls in love, is generally a baddass but when asked about his crowning achievement can only reply "Protecting Rover that funky little droid."





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for giving this fic a chance <3 
> 
> This story is just for fun. Lots fan service and BAMF Lance being super over powered and skilled. It'll be more of a drama than the light hearted nature of the show but I'll try to keep a similar tone dramatised. 
> 
> This story starts in canon universe, so the Lance/Allura tag only refers to him mourning Allura . He's still in love her. However Keith/Lance is endgame.

“Atlas do you copy?” 

Lance was going to die. He was sure of it. He could barely hear his own voice over the sound of static. He’d just lost contact with the Atlas and all visuals had been blinded by the growing energy field. He could barely make out his surroundings, everything was overexposed with bright light. The cockpit was fading, melting into nothingness. Lance’s head felt ready to explode. The controls of the MFE were fried, it was impossible for him to escape and he knew he only had moments left. 

A sense of peace washed over him even as tears streamed down his cheeks. 

The light grew brighter. Lance put his hands out to shield himself and squeezed his eyes shut. It was unbearable, painful. He was losing his mind. Suddenly a hand reached out for his and intertwined their fingers. Lance snapped his eyes open in shock and found himself unable to breath, his heart stopping. 

“Allura.” 

Her hair fanned out around her, swaying like she was underwater. She was ethereal, emitting a blue glow that shielded Lance from the energy source. Where her light touched him he felt warm, like he was basking in afternoon’s sun on Varadero beach, golden warm sand between his toes. She was smiling so brightly Lance smiled back at her. His heart swelled. 

“I still love you.” He told her, his voice breaking on his words as his crying renewed. 

She floated closer, her eyes intent on Lance. He couldn’t bring himself to consider she might be a trick or a trap. He could sense her, Allura’s aura was strong and real. He was sure of it. A hundred times he had mind-melded with her and the other paladins, Lance could not be mistaken. And if he was? He was dying, what did it matter if he took comfort in his last moments. 

Her other hand reached out and cupped his cheek, he leant into her desperately. 

“And I, you.” She spoke, her voice echoed. 

As Allura leaned in further the light outside the ship grew brighter, encompassing the entire cockpit while an old and most welcome sound reached Lance. When their lips finally met, the kiss was accompanied by a concord of Lions roaring. Voltron had not returned- no, Lance had returned to Voltron. 

When the light finally receded the cockpit was empty. The radio crackled to life. 

“Lance. Lance do you copy?” Shiro’s voice was frayed, concerned “Come in Lance.”  
\----  
Lance came to in a bed, feeling bone dead and like he could fall back to sleep and not wake up for an entire week. Then his memories returned and he sat up, alert and his heart beating a million miles an hour. His hand reached up to his lip, trembling and felt the shadow of Allura’s kiss. What happened? He took stock of his environment, quickly cataloguing where he had woken up and if he found himself in enemy or friendly territory. 

He frowned when he recognised the Garrison. He’d expected the Atlas but perhaps his injuries had been too serious but no… he wasn’t in medical. Lance rather thought the room looked like his old dormitory, the one he shared with Hunk. It was so many years ago now, that Lance had trouble recalling helpful details. He looked over to the second bunk, it was empty but unmade, somebody had slept in it recently.  
He pushed the covers off and jumped out of bed. He stumbled on a pair of shoes and realised he was wearing normal clothes, he frowned as he recognised his old blue baseball shirt. This was getting weirder. He decided he was going to have to snoop if he wanted to figure this out. Something told him he needed to tread lightly and Lance had long since learnt not to ignore his instincts. He walked over to the wardrobes, feeling slightly off balance but thought nothing of it, he chalked it up as a side effect of almost dying. 

He opened the left one and blinked, surprised to find it filled with his stuff. There were items of clothing he had forgotten he owned, on the top shelf sat an old biscuit tin. Lance could suddenly recall every little knick-knack he’d find in there, like it was yesterday he had pulled it off the shelf, homesick. He’d had no idea the Garrison had preserved this room or his stuff, in fact he’d been positive that they hadn’t. It’d be a waste, letting this stuff sit here forgotten during a galactic invasion where every resource was precious and hard to come by. 

He ran his hands through the rack of clothes, two uniforms and a handful of casual clothes. He wouldn’t wear any of this stuff, not anymore at least and picked up an old shirt, cringing hard. He turned to the mirror hanging on the back of the door and held the shirt up, ready to laugh at himself. It took him a moment to realise what was wrong. At first, Lance assumed his sense of discontent was imagining himself wearing what he considered fashion over six years ago. But the longer he stared, the more it clicked into place. Lance assumed it took so long because he hadn’t changed all that much over the years, the starkest difference were the Altean markings and they remained. It was the little things, like the breadth of his shoulders, the sharpness of his cheekbones, the length of his hair; everything was slightly off-kilter. 

“What the hell?” 

He hung the shirt back up and ran a hand through his hair, it was so short. Sure, his hair never reached Mullet stage but Lance hadn’t cut it in over a year. Also, working on a farm was hard okay, it required muscles! And sure, he wasn’t buff like Shiro or Hunk but he’d long since caught up on Keith ‘spent two years growing taller and building muscle in a weird time vacum’ Kogane. This wasn’t fair! He picked up his left arm and waved the skinny stick around. Had he been in a coma? Surely his cheeks should be all sunken in and sickly, not pudgy like he was a teenage boy again…

“Oh no. Nope. This is not happening.”

“What’s not happening?” 

Lance yelped and twisted around, hands up ready for a fight only to find Hunk standing in the doorway, a wet towel and toiletries in hand. He dropped his hands, feeling foolish. Nothing was wrong, Hunk was here and he’d explain everything. 

“Are you okay buddy?” Hunk stepped into the dorm and beelined for the adjoining wardrobe. Lance watched his friend closely, it seemed like Lance wasn’t the only one affected. Of all of them, Hunk had certainly changed the most and looking at him now Lance couldn’t help but marvel at how far his friend had come in contrast to the boy he’d been. Lance missed the goatee. 

“What’s going on Hunk?” 

Hunk looked around the wardrobe doors and frowned at Lance. Great, now Lance was actually nervous- why was Hunk so concerned? 

“What’s that?” Hunk asked instead. 

“What’s what?” 

“On your cheek?”

Lance looked at the mirror and frowned, he couldn’t see anything odd. Apart from the baby-face that is. 

“…Nothing?” 

“Dude you’ve got two blue triangles on your face. Were you playing with makeup again?” 

Lance takes a step back and really looked at Hunk and then the surrounding room. The details were too perfect, even if this were some weird -very weird- trap Lance couldn’t imagine why they thought this scenario would ensnare him.

“This is bad. This is really, really bad.” 

How had this happened? Lance didn’t even want to speculate, the concept was too wild. Yet since Allura appeared before him he hadn’t lost contact with the lions. They had disappeared for five years and for fives years Lance nor the other paladins had sensed them. Now, he could feel Blue the strongest and if he concentrated hard enough he could see through her eyes and recognise the cavern where she was hidden. It was impossible but somehow he was in the past. He heard Blue’s rumbling purr and knew with certainty it was true. 

“Are you having a panic attack? It’s okay, Lance just breathe through it. I get them all the time. Come on. Sit down. Breathe. You’re going to be fine.”  
Lance let Hunk lead him to his bunk where he sat numbly on the bed and tried to breath. Hunk rubbed his back. 

“Is this about the simulator earlier? I know Iverson can be tough, don’t listen to him, you really have the potential to be a great pilot.”  
Lance frowned, and shakes his head. Why would he be concerned about Iverson? Lance didn’t need approval from him anymore, not since he’d become a Paladin of Voltron and literal saviour of the Universe. No big deal, but it was kind of impossible to be insecure when you’ve got that on your CV. Then he remembered he was in the past and Iverson hated his guts and thought he was useless. Great. It was hard to imagine, to put himself back in that mind frame where crashing the simulator was the worst thing that could possibly happen to him. Lance could barely remember the day he, Hunk and Pidge had made spectacular fools of themselves- that must be what Hunk was talking about .

It was the same day Shiro crashed landed… the day everything changed. 

“What did you say Hunk?”

“I was saying I can go get the nurse.”

“No, before that. About Iverson.”

Hunk’s expression. “That you should ignore him-“

“Hunk, listen this is very important. Did we crash the simulator today. With Pidge H- I mean with Pidge Gunderson. Y’know that time when you puked.” 

“Lance if you’re having trouble with memory I really think we should get the nurse.”

“Trust me Hunk, I’m fine. Just- am I right or wrong?” 

Hunk pauses before nodding, looking sceptical. 

“Yeah, we failed it with Gunderson. Also, I thought you promised not to bring up the vomiting. Oh man, that was so embarrassing.”

“Sorry buddy.” Lance clapped Hunk on the shoulder and then jumped up, ready to take action when he tripped over the shoes at the foot of his bed and fell. Lance rubbed his head, feeling sorry for himself. “Ow.”  
\----  
Lance had figured the easiest way to convince Hunk something was going on, would be to show him proof. Pidge should offer enough evidence that Hunk would at least agree to listen. Besides, if he couldn’t convince either of them he was from the future then Shiro crash landing could be the catalyst that brings them all together- again. 

“Why are we here? Lance we could get caught and expelled.”

“It’s fine Hunk. We’re waiting for somebody.”

“Who? A teacher? Are you trying to get me expelled.”

“No! Why would I want to do that?”

“I don’t know man, you’re acting strange and it’s making me nervous.”

“Buddy listen, it’s fine. Pidge will be here any second and they can explain.”

“Gunderson? He’s in on it too?”

The fire escape groaned, screeching loudly. Hunk jumped and latched onto Lance’s arm. Pidge’s head sneaked around the door and snooped out the area. They sighed with relief before stepping out and quietly shutting the door. For now, Pidge couldn’t see them, Lance and Hunk were hidden behind one of the two large pillars extending off the roof. Pidge made their way to the edge and sat down, unpacking their gear. 

Hunk tugged on Lance’s jacket. Lance looked at his friend smiling, feeling nostalgic. 

“Are we going to say hello?” 

“Right, let’s go.” 

Pidge had yet to put on headphones and twisted around when they heard approaching footsteps. Lance waved sheepishly. 

“What are you doing here? Did you follow me?” 

“No,” Lance began, petulant “We were here first.”

“…Why?” Pidge was growing nervous and pulled their laptop closed. 

“Because I want you to tell Hunk about Voltron.” 

Behind their glasses Pidge’s eyes bugged out. They stood up, looking skittish and ready to run. 

“How do you know about that?” 

“Just tell him. Then I’ll explain.” 

Pidge scrutinizes Lance for a moment. They frowned at him looking at his cheeks, making Lance want to self-consciously touch or hide them.

“Fine. I’ve been monitoring transmissions in deep space. Alien transmissions and there’s one word that’s being repeated, over and over. I’ve translated and decoded it multiple times. Voltron. I think it’s a weapon or… a robot.” Pidge rummages around and pulls out their notebook to demonstrate. 

Hunk massages his forehead, stress growing. “Why though? I mean, why bother monitoring deep space transmissions. It’s like spying on the Garrison, which I’m pretty sure is illegal.” 

“Yeah, well. So is lying to the public and if it's not then it should be illegal." 

“Lying about what?” Hunk asks.

“About Keberos. It wasn’t pilot failure.” Lance explains. Pidge looks at him with shinning eyes. 

“Exactly, whatever really happened the Garrison is covering it up.”

Hunk nods slowly, like he isn't quite sure he believes them and turns on Lance “And how did you know about this? You never explained.” 

Lance ruffles his hair, still not entirely sure he’s ready to be looked at like he’s mad. He looks away, to the sunset and breaks into a grin.

“Keith.”  
“Who’s Keith?” Pidge asks. 

“Ah Keith Kogane. Ace pilot and dropout extraordinaire.”

“You don’t like Keith, when did you start talking to him?” Hunk reminds him.

“Don't like Keith!?" Lance asks offended, before remembering that Hunk knew all about the rivalry and that to Hunk, Lance hadn't grown up and gotten over it yet.

"That’s old news. Now gather around children I have a plan.” 

Pidge crosses their arms. “A plan for what?” 

Lance breathed in deeply, preparing for a big speech. He had a lot of plans and he’d not even had long to plan them. The next time he gets to fall asleep, tucked away safely on the Castle of Lions Lance was going to have a million more plans. This was his chance, an opportunity to do everything right. He looked at Pidge, knowing exactly what they needed to hear to believe him. 

“Rescue the Holts from space. Never eat Food Goo again. Find Voltron. Punch a purple prince in his pretty face. Destroy a bunch of evil clones. Stop a witch and her genocidal husband. Help an angsty furry find himself. Wake up sleeping beauty and her eccentric uncle and break out of the Garrison.” 

Pidge blinks. Reboots and latches onto Lance’s shoulders, shaking him.

“What did you say?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance rescues Shiro only to realise he doesn't have a get away driver.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! Thank you everyone for the wonderful response to the first chapter <3
> 
> I am very chuffed and obviously desperate for approval. The quick turn around of this chapter is case and point. 
> 
> I'm still trying to get a good feel for the characters and I'm enjoying writing the banter. This story will get a move along, I promise, as soon as they get to space! 
> 
> For now I want to get a good feel for Lance's voice and take my time allowing the characters to believe Lance and trust him. 
> 
> Enjoy <3

The light was mainly dying now and with it, the heat. Since settling down, waiting on what Lance hoped was the same pile of rocks as last time, Pidge and Hunk had started to get angsty.  Lance had tried distracting them by asking Pidge to show Hunk the transmissions, which worked well enough but too much longer and Lance would need to start answering questions. There were only so many times Lance could deflect knowledge hungry Pidge.

“Come on.” He looked to the heavens, knowing Shiro would be hurtling towards them with a Galra ship not far behind. Last time everything had worked out nicely, the rescue mission, the escape, finding Blue, even destroying the ship and the sudden appearance of the wormwhole. Now, Lance couldn’t take anything for granted, he knew what the butterfly effect was. He understood that his presence would effect what happened, hell his goal was to change things- of course circumstances would change, he’d just have to adapt and pray he didn’t make it worse.

When he was beginning to lose hope and think he’d misjudged, a small dot appeared in the sky. Rapidly, it grew until Lance could make out the burning Galra ship. He shook Pidge and Hunk, dragging them away from the computer and pointed to the sky.

“There, what did I tell you?”

“No way.” Pidge breathed.

“How did you know?” Hunk asked, he looked at Lance liked he had grown a second head.

“If I told you, I’d have to kill you.”

Pidge punched his shoulder. “Seriously, how’d you know?”

Lance shrugged. “I’m from the future.”

“Quit it with the jokes Lance,” Pidge groaned “How did you know about this.”

“I’m not joking.”

“Yeah right.” They replied, flippant.

As the ship grew closer Lance became worried about it’s trajectory, not about how far away they would be from the crash. Rather, how close they would be.

“Ah Lance,” Hunk began “If you’re from the future you would know which rock to stand on to avoid being squashed right?” 

Lance shrugged and began reassessing the situation. The ship was gaining momentum and fast, they didn’t have long before it would be right on top of them.

“What do we do?” Pidge asked, cradling their laptop and surveillance gear.

“Duck!” Lance yelled and pulled his friends down, slamming them into the ground moments before the ship rocketed overhead.

It radiated heat like a wildfire but was gone in a flash, any longer and Lance would have feared his skin would blister it was that hot. Lance scrambled to his feet to watch as the ship crash landed, smashing into the ground and shaking the earth with its force.

Lance jumped over the edge and surfed down, leaping into a ran as he reached the end. Hunk and Pidge follow behind, significantly slower as they clumsily made their way down.

The Galra ship slows to a jerked halt, earth and dust hung in the air momentarily frozen. Until the moment is lost and gravity took effect, the dust cloud slowly started to settle. Still, Lance ducked his face into the crock of his elbow to protect himself, trying feebly to stop his throat from burning. His eyes watered and stung.

Behind him he could hear Pidge coughing.

At least, Lance thought as he reached the ship, the toiled earth helped smother the fire. He hesitated before reaching out, hovering his hand over the ship but the alien metal had already cooled. There’s so much dust and smote ash on the ship Lance had to climb up to the cockpit and wipe it away to catch sight of Shiro. He’d expected to be elated to find another one of his friends and be one step closer to reuniting Voltron but was immediately filled with dread. Shiro was passed out and bleeding in the pilot’s seat.

“Oh no.” Lance banged on the cockpit, hoping to wake him. “Shiro!” 

Pidge scrambled up the ship and joined him, they peered into the cockpit and gasp. 

“How do we get him out?” They asked, already looking around to find a way in.

Lance griped his hair and tried to think, he’d initially assumed Shiro would be able to disengage the lock himself. He couldn’t recall Shiro being injured by the crash but he supposed the Garrison would have had plenty of time to administrate first aid. After all by the time Lance, Hunk, and Pidge had arrived the Garrison had set up a small base. So it made sense they could’ve jabbed Shiro with adrenaline to wake him up or treat him.

“Damnit.” Lance found himself desperately wishing for a bayard. “We need to Hotwire the hatch mechanism.”

“I … can try?” Hunk answers, standing on the uneven ground looking nervous. He stumbled on a rock, Lance’s eyes narrowed.

“Pass that here.”

“What?”

“The rock, come on we don’t have much time before the Garrison arrives.”

Hunk tosses the rock and Lance catches it deftly. Using the rock,  Lance beats it against the side panelling, he hoped he was doing it in the right area.

 

“That’s never going to work,” Pidge buts in “You’re a bean pole let Hunk do it.”

Lance had forgotten for a moment that this body was weak and untrained and was about to concede. Yet he was already in the  momentum of another swing and felt a rush of heat go through his body. It hit him like a blast quintessence and when the rock hit the panel it buckled without resistance. Lance dropped the rock and leant down, pulling the panel back until a mess of wires were exposed.

“Your turn.” Lance said with cocky grin.

He gave Hunk a hand up and moved to the other side of the ship. He pulled Pidge’s binoculars out and searched the surrounding areas. So far so good, he thought, there was no sign of the Garrison yet. No Keith either, which disappointed Lance but he supposed he could find another way out without Keith and his hoverbike. Lance had no plan B yet but he had his fingers crossed that something would miraculously come up.

“How did you do that!?” Pidge asked, a tinge of awe crept into their voice.

Lance looked at his hands and shrugged. He had done weirder things himself and seen greater feats of the impossible than a random burst of strength. He leaned against the cockpit, feeling confident and gave Pidge a look that made them roll their eyes.

“Adrenaline?”

On the other side of the ship a burst of blue light came and went followed by the sound of electricity crackling. Hunk shot up, shaking his hand.

“I’m okay, I’m okay.” Hunk exclaimed before ducking down, back to work “Nothing to see here. Almost got it!”

The quick hiss of a piston was the only warning Lance got before the cockpit disengaged and snapped open. Lance lost his balance and fell headfirst into the cramped cockpit. He exclaimed and waved his hands about, trying valiantly not to fall completely onto Shiro.

He finally stopped flailing inches from Shiro’s face. Lance blinked, it had been ages since he’d seen Shiro with his dark hair and a small puff of white. The only times Lance had seen it over the last five years were the occasional run ins with Shiro’s evil clones. The white had suited him, though Lance hadn’t been a fan of the stubble and had agreed completely with Curtis. It was weird, okay, that his facial hair was black when raw quintessence had turned all of his hair platinum. It didn’t make sense!

“Nice one,” Pidge snickered “Do you two need a minute or can we get out of here?”

“Right!” Lance squeaked, not embarrassed because he hadn’t been checking Shiro out -please and thank you- rather Lance knew they were on a very tight time frame and needed to get a wriggle on.

Lance pushed himself upright and set about getting Shiro out. There were no seat belts and thankfully nothing was obstructing him. The main concern was that Shiro was well built and Pidge was right. Lance is a slim and he wasn’t convinced he could find the same strength he did earlier.

“Is this ship going to blow up?”

“This isn’t a movie Hunk.”

“Of course not, obviously I’m dreaming. I just don’t want to wake up with the memory of getting blown up.”

“This isn’t a dream.” Lance retorts back “Now come and help me lift Shiro.”

“Sounds fake, but okay.”

Together Lance and Hunk gripped Shiro’s arms, Lance was gratefully on the side of the prosthetic; he was not ready to cross that hurdle yet. The potential for Pidge and Hunk to geek out while Shiro wasn’t conscious to overhear was too high. Lance grunted with effort, back to being a weakling and tried to manoeuvre Shiro out of the ship. With some success and a couple of curse words Shiro was free.

Lance steered his unconscious friend to his side of the ship and slowly slid them both to the ground. Hunk jumped off and ran around, together they put Shiro’s arms over their shoulders, ready to drag him from the crash site. Lance looked around trying to find Pidge before realising they had never left the ship.

He whistled. Pidge jumped up, appearing from within the cockpit like a gopher.

“You won’t find your brother in there.” Lance called.

Pidge’s eyes widened and Lance almost expected Pidge to break into a gopher worthy scream. Instead Pidge vaulted over the ship and ran after them.

“They’ll be able to follow our tracks.” Pidge stated.

“Yes…” Lance conceded “But they won’t know to expect us. Worse case, we hide Shiro and tell them we broke out and saw an alien run in the opposite direction.”

“They’ll take us back to the Garrison and Shiro will be left in the desert, he’ll fall into a coma and die.” Pidge snaps back.

“I’ll apprehend them before they can.”

“ _Really?_ ”

Lance pouted. Frankly, he was insulted by Pidge’s lack of faith.

“I have skills and we’ll have the element of surprise.”

“I for one,” Hunk adds “Do not feel comfortable assaulting Garrison personal.”

“No one has to fight anyone. I’ll sort it out.”

\---

Slowly, they made progress and eventually reached the rock formation. They rested for a moment, until they caught their breathe. Lance looked to the horizon, towards the Garrison and spotted the tell tale signs of approaching cars, clouds of dust billowing behind them. Lance lifted the binoculars and counted at least seven or more and a couple of scouts on hover bikes.

Next he looked in the direction he assumed Keith will come from but doesn’t catch sight of Keith’s red hover bike or the half-Galra. Disappointed and a little frustrated he has no solid plans or means of escape he scuffed his foot against the ground and racked his brain. First things first, they should hide.

Lance directed them around the rocky landscape and between one of the pillars. Pidge is right however and Lance quietly dismayed over how obvious their tracks were; even in the dark.

Plus there was nothing that Lance could construed as a weapon, apart from rocks. The problem was,  Lance doesn’t actually want to hurt anyone and he doesn’t trust this body to have the same aim as he had grown accustomed to. Muscle memory is vital and this body just doesn’t have what it takes to be his usual sharpshooter self- not yet that is.

“Let’s lay him down here.”

Lance directed them to a small alcove and delicately placed Shiro on the ground. This way anyone approaching from the East or the West shouldn’t be able to spot them immediately. They’ll be completely screwed if the Garrison come from the South. Lance is hoping they won’t come from anywhere but the North, where the crash was.

“Okay, the two of you wait with Shiro while I go scout.”

“Lance.” Hunk called.

Lance looked back, already half way to scaling the rock formation. Hunk is crouched down by Shiro’s head, checking his pulse.

“He needs medical attention. I get that whatever is going on is bigger than just me or you, or even Shiro but maybe the best thing we can do is take him to the Garrison. He needs help dude and none us of are medics.”

Hunk looks to Pidge as if asking Pidge to pull a rabbit out of a hat and reveal they’re actually a doctor. Pidge drops their head.

Lance bites his lip. If he’s not careful Hunk will decide to go the Garrison regardless of how much Lance implores. Pidge too, if they think it’s the best thing to do for Shiro. Last time everything happened too fast to question anything.

“Fine. No point in jostling him again. I’ll get the Garrison’s attention.”

Hunk and Pidge shared a look and Lance knew he was not fooling anyone.

“Honest.” He swore “I’ll sort this out I promise. Shiro will be fine.”

\---

Lance climbed around the rock until he could watch the Garrison scurrying about in a huff while they can’t see him. Through the binoculars it was clear they’ve noticed the ship was missing a pilot. Night had almost completely fallen and a search party of flashlights pierced the darkness as the Garrison spread out. Some on foot while several of the cars drove out in different directions, none of them in their immediate area thankfully.

Lance watched in amusement as Iverson and other instructors zipped up hazmat suits before approaching the ship. A single uniformed officer, Lance couldn’t recognise who because they had their back to him strode towards the Galra ship. One of the Hazmat’s -Lance thought it might have been Iverson- shouted at the officer and shooed them away.

The officer looked ready to explode, hands clenched into fists before the fight melted away and they nodded. Lance was sure he knew who it was but couldn’t place them. The officer twisted around, Lance almost caught their face-

“ _Hey!”_

Lance stumbled and dropped the binoculars. Thankfully the cord was around his neck and they simply swung as he fumbled to pick them up again.

“Pidge!” Lance complained “Do you have to sneak up on me like that?”

“I had to test a hypothesis. If you’re from the future you should have known I was coming.”

“It doesn’t work like that.”

“How does it work then?”

“For starters, I’m not a fortune teller. I only know what happened in my time. I can’t anticipate what people do once circumstances change.”

“Hunk was right then. You don’t know if Shiro will be okay. We should go back to the Garrison. I know what you’re about to say, and yeah I want to find Matt and my dad but not if that means Shiro is hurt. I don’t really know him but he is Matt’s best friend.”

Lance hung his head. He didn’t want to leave them and find Blue on his own but he would if he had too.

“Look, just call out to that Officer and they can sort it out.”

Lance looked up and sure enough, the officer that had been yelled at by Iverson was speeding towards them in a Garrison issued car. Lance picked up the binoculars.

“No way.”

“What is it?”

Lance turned around to look at the alcove, where Shiro remained unconscious in the Galran slave rags then back to binoculars and the image of Adam, alive and well muttering to himself as he drove straight towards them.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think? Am I getting the character's voices okay? 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed! Chapter three ASAP feat. Adam potentially kissing sleeping beauty awake. Who knows?


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Read as I conveniently jump-cut whenever Adam does first aid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy my characterization of Adam, he is heavily influenced by CaffeinatedFlumadiddle's series Storytime: Voltron is (Basically) a Disaster which I recommend you all read if you haven't, it's a treasure! 
> 
> Spoiler Alert? In this fic I've made Adam a medic in the hope it will bring depth to his character and role in this story. I'm not a doctor and know nothing about medicine so I'll mainly be skimming over details. Sry not sry. 
> 
> Anyway, enjoy <3

“Screw Iverson! Who the hell does he think he is?!”

Adam hit the steering wheel and pushed down on the acceleration. He’d follow the tracks on his own. If Iverson didn’t want him there he’d show ‘em.

When the reports first came through the entire Garrison had gone on lock down and all of the senior staff on high alert. Adam was at his station, med kit packed and ready to report for duty in record time. Sure, his glasses were askew and his hair a mess but that summed up his entire life quite nicely . 

Yet the moment Iverson laid one beady eye on him, the commander had tried to kick him off the mission.

“Try and keep me from first Contact.”

Admittedly it had worked, Adam hadn’t been allowed to accompany them.

Adam’s solution?  Scam his way there. He had waited until the last car in the convoy had left before rushing back to his apartment and picking up a set of dusty keys and hightailing it out of there in a car he hadn’t stepped foot in for well over a year.

He tried desperately not to look at the photographs stuck on the dashboard but the one on the rear mirror was hard to miss. Oh if anything came from behind he’d just hit it. That was more preferable than looking at a smiling picture of himself and Tashaki.

Adam chose to ignore the rational part of him that  told him to get over himself and rip the photo down if he didn’t want to see it. Blasphemy.

“Stupid.” 

He hit the steering wheel again.

So rocking up to the crash site had probably been a bad idea. It had dawned on Adam how much he had screwed up the moment he caught sight of the alien ship and a sense of foreboding had fallen over him.

Yet something about Iverson’s insistence about Adam staying away had rubbed him the wrong way. So he couldn’t bring himself to regret it. Yet. There was plenty of time for regret to come later. It always did.

He’d only felt the same way once before and Adam had regretted following that order ever since.

“If Aliens killed my boyfriend I’m going to be so mad. I’ll flip a table. I’ll flip seven tables. No, I’ll flip one table for every moon of Pluto.”

Because Adam had begun to notice a pattern in the last year. Anything remotely linked to the abnormal -like pilot failures and extraterrestrial plane crashes-  Iverson clamped up and locked Adam out.

It was maddening and it was suspicious.

Which was how Adam had justified his jaunt out to the desert. He hadn’t felt guilty in the slightest, he’d walked head high like he was supposed be there and absolutely hadn’t ducked the moment he caught sight of Iverson.

He was stretching, that’s all. So it was a happy accident when he noticed the tracks. Terrible tracks of some great monster with four legs and a tail that dragged across the ground.

Iverson hadn’t laughed in his face when he told him which Adam took as terrifying confirmation that Aliens were real and did in fact kill his boyfriend in Space. Then again, Iverson hadn’t stopped to listen to him, resulting in a petty fight that Adam had won. Obviously.

“Court martial me. See if I care. You’ll be sorry when I bring in the lizard aliens.”

Adam reached the rock formation and slowed down. He would need to be careful not to the lose the tracks. It seemed like the Lizard didn’t know how to climb so he followed the tracks around, picking up speed again.

Suddenly, from above a figure jumped into the glare of the headlights. Adam slammed on the breaks. Too late! He was going to hit the evil lizard. Adam screamed. The lizard jumped, flipping over the bonnet and landing with a ruckus on the car’s roof. The car grounded to a halt.

“Holy shit.” 

\---

Lance crouched on top of the car. Feeling like an idiot for forgetting Earth cars pre-invasion don't have good reflexes and wouldn't be able to stop in time. He would just wait for Adam to get out. From his vantage point Lance could spot Pidge, jaw slack and looking incredulous, twitching slightly like they couldn’t quite believe what Lance had just done. He couldn’t wait until their were all in space, breaking out the paladin armour and discovering what they were all capable of.

Finally the window rolled down and a small pistol appeared. Lance frowned, a little insulted that Adam went on the defensive immediately. Lance leant down and yanked the gun out of Adam’s hands. He heard a yelp and the window went back up. Lance looked over the pistol before pocketing it, he’d not seen anything like it in years.

“Freakin Aliens!”

Lance frowned, apparently there’d been a miscommunication. He moved to jump off the car when suddenly, it accelerated. It was Lance’s turn to yell out before he latched on and held tightly as Adam swerved harshly, trying to buck him off. Carefully and with great difficulty Lance swung his torso over the edge so he could face Adam. He knocked politely on the window.

Adam turned to look at him. Lance smiled.

“What the hell?!”

The car screeched to an abrupt halt, skidding across the loose soil. Lance lost his grip. He scrambled to grasp something, anything to stop himself from being flung off. Right now, without his armour he was  squishable and easy to break. With a shout Lance slid off the roof, hitting the bonnet. He had seconds to latch onto the windscreen wiper. Lance pulled the blade away from the glass and held on for dear life.

 Through the windscreen Adam stared  at him in complete shock.

The blade snapped.

Lance tumbled off the car, hitting the ground just as the car rolled to a stop. Lance huffed, giving  up.

Adam threw the car door open and ran to Lance.

“Oh my god. What is wrong with you!”

Adam grabbed Lance’s arm  and checked his pulse before he moved closer, reaching towards his face. Lance half-heartedly batted him away. Out of nowhere Adam shined a small torch into his eye. Lance blinked.

“What the hell Cadet?”

Lance sat up.

“You’re a medic right?”

“Are you injured? Bleeding? Broken bones?”

“No.”

“Then no. I’m not a medic. I’m a Galaxy Garrison Officer and I’m going to haul your arse back to the Barracks and get you suspended for that stunt you just pulled.”

“‘No wait, Adam-“

The look Adam gave Lance was so intensively unimpressed Lance felt like a child again, freshly arrived in America and intimidated by everyone at the Garrison- be that a classman or teacher, or hell, the janitor.

“Sorry Officer… Wes- Officer Wri-“

Adam’s eyebrow steadily rose the longer Lance took to remember his name.

“Officer Wyatt.” Adam prompted.

Lance nodded, of course how could he forget.  He jumped up, dusted himself off and confirmed he had no injuries. It was fortunate that Adam had appeared, on more than one level. No matter what happened it would be one less thing that Shiro regretted. Plus, Lance no longer had to consider taking Shiro to the Garrison, surely Adam could come up with a bootleg treatment.

“Right, sorry Officer Wyatt but that’s a no can do. I’m on a tight schedule.”

“Really?”

“Yep. So if you wouldn’t mind following me, I’ll show you to your patient.”

At that Adam narrowed his eyes.

“Who else is out here?”

“Come and see for yourself.”

“You’re not possessed are you?”

“ _No_! Why would you think that?”

“Are you sure? You haven’t had any run ins with a giant four legged lizard?”

Lance laughed.

“No?”

Adam didn’t seem convinced.

Lance shrugged and turned his back, heading to the alcove. He looked back at Adam, to check if he was following but instead he was sulking; arms crossed and everything, including a childish pout. Lance could relate and even sympathise, this was a very weird situation but he didn’t have time to waste. Shiro needed help and Lance still needed to find a wayward half-Galra before tomorrow if he didn’t want to incite an invasion four years early.

Lance considered his options.

“Do I have to force you?”

Adam seemed taken aback but gave Lance a once over that clearly said ‘give it your best shot you skinny child’. Lance was officially over looking so young, never mind his youthful skin. Lance would take wrinkles over not being taken seriously any day. Lance pulled the pistol out of his pocket, turned it over a couple of times and looked back to Adam.

Adam took a step back, hands raised in a placating manner. Lance tried to ignore his guilty conscious.

“You don’t have to do this Cadet.”

“I know. If you just _listened_  to me but no. Let’s go.”

Lance waved the gun, directing Adam to walk in front of him. He would get rid of the pistol as soon as possible, but for now- it was necessary. Lance looked around for Pidge, feeling terrible that this is what Pidge's first proper impression of him would be, but they were no where in sight. When the alcove came into view, Lance stopped Adam and put the gun away. Adam watched him carefully.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t give you more time to prepare.”

“For what?”

Lance raised his arm, motioning for Adam to go forward. Hesitantly, with a quick glance to the pistol tucked into Lance’s pants Adam walked past. Hunk had his back to them, crouched over and blocking Shiro’s face from view. Pidge greeted them with a glare, they walked up to Lance and pulled him down to their level.

“Do you think you can stop being extra for one second!” They hissed

“I think it might be impossible.” He told them, his eyes didn't leave Adam. 

Adam froze.

“What happened? Who is that?”

Lance walked up to Adam and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Hunk moved aside. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, Adam’s knees buckled. Lance held him up, gripping Adam’s arms until he found his legs again and wrenched himself from Lance and ran the short distance to Shiro’s side.

“ _Takashi_.” The amount of pain the one word carried pulled on Lance’s heartstrings.

Adam’s hands hovered over Shiro, not quite touching. When Adam spoke next he didn’t turn around, his voice was barely a whisper. His shoulders were shaking.

“What happened to him?”

“A lot. Most of it isn’t for me to say.”

“Damnit McClain. How did he survive? It’s been an entire year.”

“The Kerberos crew was abducted. Shiro escaped.” Lance spoke quietly, addressing both Adam and Pidge.

“What about the Holts?” Adam questioned.

“They’re alive but the Galra have them.”

“The Galra?”

“The ruling race of an evil Galactic Empire and they’re coming to Earth, right now. I _need_ Shiro. Whatever you can do to help him, do it. We don’t have much time.”

Adam’s hands finally touched down, gripping Shiro’s shoulders before running reverently over his face and hair. Shiro did not stir.

“He _needs_ proper medical attention. I’m taking him to the Garrison.”

“No you’re not.” Lance’s tone was as hard as steel.

Adam paused, sitting up and turning around. Stiffening as Lance levelled the pistol at his chest. Pidge and Hunk jerked, crying out.

“Woah Lance! Cut it out.” Hunk stepped in between them, his arms stretched out wide.

“Step aside Hunk.”

“It’s fine Cadet, you can move.”

Hunk frowned at both of them and nodded, moving to stand with Pidge. Lance gritted his teeth, this was getting so out of hand. He wasn’t cut out for this, Lance thought miserably, where the hell was Keith when he needed him.

“You won’t shoot me.”

“Don’t test me.”

“Are you really going to kill me Cadet?”

“Obviously not.” Lance shrugged, it’d kind of defeat the purpose of threatening him to heal Shiro, wouldn’t it? “But I know exactly where to shoot to cause a non-fatal wound.”

Lance redirected the pistol’s target.

“You’ll be incapacitated and I’ll take Shiro and hope for the best.”

“You’re mental.”

Lance just shrugged again. Adam stood up and strode towards Lance, the gun is his hand never wavered not even as Adam got so close the nozzle jabbed him in the chest. They stared at each other. Adam searched for something before he nodded.

“Fine. Cadet, go to my car and retrieve my med-pac.”

Pidge threw up their hands, pivoted on the spot and left in the direction of Adam’s car.

\---

As Adam worked, Lance and the other potential paladins brooded. Lance was starting to wonder if he should have handled the situation differently. Voltron needed to be united. Not fighting, or bickering. Lance needed their trust and he’d just thrown it out the window.  

Adam ran several quick tests, checking Shiro's pulse, shinning that dreaded light in his unresponsive light and going so far as to pull out a travel version of something he called a 'sphygmo-mano-meter' or also known as a blood pressure machine. Then he pumped Shiro with something that made him twitch until he woke. 

Shiro jerked awake, gasping and spluttering. Adam helped him sit up until his breathing evened out and Shiro started to look around. When Shiro’s eyes focused on him, Adam let go, like his hands were burnt and immediately put distance between.

“ _Adam_?” Shiro’s voice croaked “I’m finally free. I’m dead aren’t I?”

Adam ducked his head.

“You’re not dead. You’re real Takashi. You’re really here.”

“How did... how did you find me?”

“I didn't. He did.” Adam drawled, jerking his head towards Lance “I just had the misfortune of finding him.”

Adam leaned in, voice almost too quiet to be heard.

“He’s mad. Going on about some alien race called the Galra and a super weapon. What really happened Takashi. Where have you been?”

Shiro looked past Adam and saw Lance and the others for the first time. He frowned at Lance.

“You know about the Galra?”

“Not you too?” Adam groaned, he pulled at his hair.

“Yeah, I know about them. I know all about Zarkon and Haggar’s empire. I know exactly what their capable of." Lance paused for effort. "I also know a cruiser is on its way here now.”

Shiro nodded, grim.

“What about Voltron? Do you know where or what it is? Earth is defenceless against the Galra.”

“Part of it-“

Lance was interrupted by a series of explosions, the noise echoed- ringing in his ears. Shiro scrambled to his feet, Adam belatedly helped him stand.

“Oh no.” Lance murmured.

“Is it the aliens?” Hunk asked nervously “We’re all going to die aren’t we?”

Shiro looked to Lance, the expression on his face was one Lance had seen a hundred times. Battle ready. Lance shook his head with a small smile.

“Nah, it’s just Keith.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you reading <3 
> 
> What did you think of Adam? Did Lance go too far? He's so extra!
> 
> Also, I'll be updating 1-2 times a week :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warning for this Chapter, Shiro experiences a flashback and I suppose there is kind of a graphic water boarding scene/ drowning described
> 
> Sorry about the long wait! Work got in the way! But I have returned. I should have more time to write over the next couple of days.

“We need to go.” Lance addressed the group but he stared at Adam, trying desperately to convey how important it was he comply. 

“Where to?” Pidge asked “To the Garrison?”

“No, no way. I’ve made that pretty clear. No Garrison until we have Voltron.” 

Shiro shot Lance a sharp look before glancing to Adam. To Shiro, it must look weird that some wiry seventeen year old was trying to order around a couple of mid-twenty officers. Oh well. 

Adam at least knew the lengths that Lance would go to. 

“Then where do we go Lance, we’re in the middle of nowhere.” Hunk asked.

And that was Lance’s problem, he could probably spend a couple hours finding Blue through their connection. Essentially follow fate’s red -sorry blue- string but it wasn’t very practical. In theory, Lance knew exactly where Blue would be but he can’t recall how to actually get there. 

“To Keith’s place.”

No, the only solution was to go to Keith’s and let Hunk figure out the map to Blue. Not that Lance had a clue where Keith lived.

“Keith’s place? Why isn’t he at the Barracks?” Shiro said at the same time as Adam spoke.

“That hovel? Why would we go there?” 

The two looked at each, Shiro smiled. Lance thought it was little dopey but in a cute kind of love sick way. Lance tried not to think about Curtis. There were more important things that required his focus. Like rescuing Keith from the Garrison so he could take them all to- wait. 

“Did you say you know where Keith lives?” 

Adam crosses his arms. “…Yes? I check up on him from time to time. He’s shacked up over-“ 

Lance moved in close, until he was in Adam’s personal space. 

“Can I trust you not to run off to the Garrison?” 

“I’m not leaving Takashi.” 

“Will you take to him to the Garrison?”

Adam’s jaw clenched “No. The Garrison lied. They lied to my face and told me he’d failed. That the Holts died because of him. So no, we’re not on speaking terms right now.”  
Beside him, Shiro appeared troubled by the full extent of the Garrison’s lie but did not interrupt. Shiro also understood there was a time and place. Lance promised, this time around the Garrison would get what they deserved and Admiral Sanda’s would be held accountable. She was a good women, all she needed was the right support to do the right thing. The same held true about the Garrison. 

“Then I’ll meet you all at Keith’s.”

Adam gave a small nod of acknowledgment. Lance smiled and pivoted on the spot, ready to run off and stop Keith from being captured but a hand stopped him. Shiro’s prosthetic was as unyielding as ever, Lance turned back. 

“Wait. Where are you going?” 

“To stop your disaster of a brother from being caught by the Garrison. He knows the way to Voltron.” 

“The Garrison has protocol. I understand that. They may be able to help, regardless of what was said or done.

“I’m sorry Shiro but the Garrison just isn’t ready yet. I promise I’ll explain everything, just- wait until we’re at Keith’s. Okay?” 

Shiro hesitated, torn. 

“Our first priority is Voltron.” Lance reminded him “We’re the only ones that can do it. The Garrison can’t help.”

Shiro exhaled and finally let go. Lance saluted, turned around and started jogging. 

“I’ll see you all soon!” He called out before picking up speed and sprinting away. 

-  
With McClain gone, everything that made sense started to fall apart. 

Shiro had yet to be convinced he wasn’t dead. Earth was strange. It was alien. The only things that seemed real anymore were the Galra; they were a nightmare but so was Shiro’s life. He knows he should find McClain weird, untrustworthy. He tried to be suspicious, perhaps he was an apparition of Haggar’s but Shiro could only find it in him to trust McClain.

Still, the escape was too good to be true. Shiro was struggling to recall how he escaped, getting past the guards was one thing but flying the ship to Earth and surviving the crash was another thing entirely. Ever since the Galra took him from the arena he’d been left in a state of disbelief.

Sure, there was still the witch and bouts of unconsciousness he was never convinced he’d wake up from. Or the constant fear they would take another limb away from him but at least he wasn’t being forced to kill aliens for entertainment. 

So, when considering all of that Shiro wasn’t convinced he was even alive. The most likely scenario would be that he was dreaming or in a coma, that his subconscious had created an escape for him to retreat to while he was tortured. 

He wasn’t sure why his subconscious would pick McClain and Garret of all Cadets, mainly Shiro was confused as to why it wasn’t Keith. Also, Shiro didn’t even know the small one although the kid was oddly familiar.

Really, the only person that made sense was Adam and even he confused Shiro. It wasn’t the first time he had hallucinated Adam but this time it was unlike any other. 

Usually, and Shiro would never admit to it, but when he was at his lowest he would vividly imagine being reunited with Adam. Tearful declarations of love and everything. If this was real life then Shiro wanted a redo. 

“Shiro. Shiro?” 

It was like he was underwater, he could almost hear some one calling him but the water was heavy and the sound muffled. Shiro tried to focus. How long had he been lost in thought? The witch had never tried drowning him before. Had she? Was that what was happening? 

Suddenly Shiro couldn’t breathe and he wasn’t on Earth, the only thing he could see in the dark tank of water was a faint purple light at the bottom. The light illuminated the bubbles, his precious, limited supply of air being exhaled at a alarming rate as he panicked. He was going to drown. 

“Hey Shiro. Come on come back to me babe. Shiro.” 

He was going to drown and Haggar would replace his lungs with something better and stronger and Shiro would lose another part of himself. 

“Takashi.”

He was pulled roughly out of the tank, two Galra lackies with strong grips on his shoulders. Shiro gasped and gasped, hungrily devouring air. Water ran down his face, over his eyes. Across the tank, through the water in his eyes he could make out Haggar as she watched him from within the hood of her cloak. 

“Takashi.” She said “Takashi you’re okay. Everything going to be okay.” Her voice melted in Adam’s and as the water cleared from his face Adam appeared from within the cloak, stepping through it until he was all Shiro could see. 

Shiro stepped back, horrified by the vision. 

 

“Come on,” Adam said softly “Let’s go.”

Shiro looked around, he felt like he’d just been thrown back into freezing water but he could see clearly enough in the dark night. He was in the desert. With Adam and two random Cadets. Still, Shiro had a sense of vertigo and he’d sweated so much during the hallucination it was now cooling and leaving him vulnerable to the cold night breeze.

Adam reached out but didn’t touch, for which Shiro was gratefully. It didn’t take long before they were moving. The two cadets carried the medical gear and whatever they had brought with them. For the duration of the walk Shiro continued to space out and couldn’t consciously recollect when they had gotten into the car. 

When Shiro came too, he was sitting in the passenger seat and Adam had already started the engine. The two Cadets were in the back. He looked around and froze, recognising the photographs that lined the dashboard and the pride and joy of the collection, stuck on the rear mirror. He stared up at it, feeling nostalgic for a happier time. He could almost imagine he and Adam were on a late night drive, months before Kerberos was even a thought in the back of Shiro’s mind. 

“Is this my car?” He asked, his voice croaky. 

“It is.” Adam admitted, voice small.

“You kept the pictures.”

“So what?” Adam shot back defensively. He paused, probably feeling bad for snapping. The next time he spoke, his voice was softer. “You’re the one that kept them first.” 

Shiro supposed that was fair, they had been split for months before Kerberos. Still, he couldn’t believe they were having this discussion here and now, with two random cadets in the back and an alien warship on the way. He could say nothing and let it rest for the time being but it was better, Shiro supposed than letting himself spiral and slip back into a vision about Haggar. 

“I’m not the one that left.” 

“Not the one that left?????” 

Shiro could physically hear the overuse of question marks. His cheeks heated.

“You literally left me to go to space.” 

“We were broken up! For months.”

“Yeah months, just like your life expectancy. Forgive me for not wanting to go through that.”  
Shiro frowned, that was a low blow.

“If you hadn’t noticed I’m not dead. I’ve been through worse than muscular dystrophy.”

“What you think because you’re a cyborg now you don’t have it, that your what- healed?” 

“I’m not a cyborg.” 

Adam exhaled heavily. Shiro could tell he desperately wanted to pinch the bridge of his nose. The entire conversation – argument had escalated. Shiro could spot tell tale signs of Adam’s guilt, he probably thought Shiro needed to be treated delicately. He looked away, to the left and watched the desert pass by. He didn’t want to fight, they’d done that enough but he didn’t want to be seen as weak. Shiro was a survivor. If he could handle the Galra then he could handle a lover’s quarrel.

“I know. I’m sorry that was too far. I’m just trying to understand. Shiro, I know you’ve always wanted to ignore it, keep it under lock and key but I’ve never had that luxury. I’m a doctor, I can’t ignore what I know and the fact you didn’t want to fight-“ 

“Adam.” Shiro had had enough, they’d had this argument a hundred times and quite frankly, no matter how much he didn’t want to admit it, Shiro didn’t have the headspace to rehash it. 

“Right, of course.” Adam nodded, attention going back to driving. 

Shiro tried to relax but couldn’t. He was too stressed, too alert. He should have known better but a naïve part of him believed everything would be fine once he returned to Earth. That all of the pain and suffering and fear wouldn’t matter. He wondered if he had hallucinated while he was Haggar’s prisoner. It was fairly likely, Shiro thought, it wouldn’t take much to convince him the vision was real when he’d wake up being tortured anyway. 

He felt himself slipping again, anxiety rising.

Until Adam reached over with his left hand, taking it off the steering wheel for a minute and unhesitatingly grabbed Shiro’s prosthetic hand. He entwined their fingers and squeezed.

He looked over, eyes piercing Shiro. 

“I’m so glad you’re alive Takashi.” 

Shiro closed his eyes and felt a tear escape. He could get through this.

 

\--

By the time Lance had sprinted to the other side he was too late to stop Keith’s futile mission. He could see with his own two eyes that the hover bike was empty but he couldn’t see Keith himself. Lance lifted the binoculars and searched for Keith, hoping the Garrison would still be distracted. 

The convoy of cars that had left in search of the ‘missing’ pilot were charging towards the crash site. The handful of officers that had remained behind were further away, towards the explosion. Lance directed the binoculars to the Galra ship and sure enough Keith was climbing all over it, inspecting it. 

Lance considered Keith’s bike, he could faintly hear that it was still running, so the keys should still be in the engine. He could hijack it, pick up Keith and high tail it out of there. 

Decision made, Lance ran to the hover bike. He briefly spared a thought for how mad Keith would be but could only laugh. It had been a long time since Lance’s relationship with Keith had been agonistic and longer since he’d intentionally angered him. It wasn’t something Lance necessarily missed. 

It took a moment to familiarise himself with the controls before he reeved the engine and took off. 

Lance didn’t need binoculars to know what face Keith pulled when he noticed Lance’s approach on the stolen bike. He’d seen Keith frown enough to know the way his eyebrows would pinch and his eyes narrow. If looks could kill then Lance would have died years ago with how often he’d successfully earned Keith ire. 

He laughed, feeling exhilarated and accelerated the bike up until the last moment when he threw the brakes on and skidded in a tight curve around the Galra ship. 

Keith watched, stunned until the damn broke and his anger burst out.

“What the hell!? That’s my bike!” 

Lance could now clearly see the officers rushing to return. They were pointing and yelling. Iverson had definitely recognised Keith, standing on top of the ship like a king on a castle. Lance could hear Iverson screaming, not words, his anger had gotten to the point where he was incoherent.

“Hop on, it’s time to go.” 

“Hop on? Hop on!?” Keith threw his hands up and then pointed at him aggressively.

“You get off, that’s my bike.”

“Yeah but I’m your getaway driver. Obviously.” 

“Do I even know you?” 

Lance froze “You weren’t joking? You didn’t actually recognise me?” 

Keith looked at Lance like he was crazy which was rude in his opinion; he couldn’t believe Keith hadn’t just been trying to rile me him up. 

“…No… Should I?” Keith frowns, pauses and squints at Lance. For a moment Lance thinks Keith has finally recognised him. “Wait are you the alien that crashed the ship?” 

“Am I the alien?” Lance cried. 

“I. no. speak. Alien.” Keith spoke slowly but condescendingly. 

Lance rolled his eyes. That wasn’t the first time he’d heard that line. 

“Española! I was speaking Spanish!” 

“Oh.” Keith hesitates “Then what’s with the marks on your face?” 

“It doesn’t matter.” Lance snaps back “I’m a Cadet. Lance McClain.” 

“Whatever McClain.” Keith dismissed, apparently Lance was no longer interesting. Keith looked ready to jump down from the ship and yank Lance off the bike. “Will you leave me alone now?” 

“And leave you for the Garrison to catch?” 

“They won’t catch me.” 

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that.” Lance replied cockily, catching sight of an approaching officer.

He could only just see the officer in a ridiculous hazmat suit sneaking up behind Keith. The officer paused, catching sight of Lance and leapt into action. Lance grabbed the gun from his waist band, checked the safety switch and yelled out to Keith just as the officer lunged.

“Duck!” 

It was testimony to Keith’s reflexes that the gun didn’t hit him smack in the face. In the heat of the moment Lance had forgotten he wasn’t fighting beside one of his best friends, somebody he trusted with his life and in return trusted him. No, this was Keith-one-man-army-Kogane. 

Still as the gun ungracefully sailed through the air, safety lock switched on, Keith hesitated for only a moment. There was a brief flash of Keith looking the closest Lance had ever seen him as a deer caught in headlights. Keith swerved out of the way narrowly avoiding the trajectory of the gun. 

The Hazmat guy was less fortunate. It smacked him directly in the face, knocking the helmet off and ruining his balance, the officer stumbled, flailing and fell backwards. 

Keith twisted around, gaping at the officer. Lance crossed his arms, feeling smug. 

“You just knocked out Iverson.” Keith actually sounded impressed. 

“Iverson!?” Lance’s voice reached an octave it hadn’t since he was teenager. Oh wait. 

“Actually he’s waking up. Let’s get out of here.” 

Keith jumped off the ship, rushing to the bike. If Lance had known all it would take was knocking Iverson out then he would have done it intentionally. 

Keith stood beside the bike, eyebrow raised. Lance frowned, what was stopping him now? 

“My bike. I drive.” 

Lance huffed and scooted backwards. “Fine.” 

Keith jumped on, reeving the engine before Lance had even settled. The bike took off, Lance flailed as it accelerated. 

“Hold on!” Keith yelled. 

Lance took it as permission and latched onto Keith, whooping as his young friend pushed the bike to it’s limits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: Everyone will finally be together again. Keith and Shiro reunite! Lance airs his dirty laundry/tell all


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't think I've said this enough but thank you all for reading, commenting, kudos', bookmarking and subscribing to this fic. The response has been amazing! 
> 
> This story is so much fun to write so I'm so pleased so many of you are enjoying it too!
> 
> I wrestled with this chapter and ended up cutting it in half so not all that much happens but I hope you enjoy the bants anyway!

The daring escape was a lot easier with a head start and a significantly less weighed down hover bike. Still, the Garrison made a valiant effort yet it didn’t take long before Keith had left them in the dust. Lance simply settled back and enjoyed the ride.

 

When it came to the big jump Lance suspected it was entirely unnecessary but didn’t complain. Lance might not know the area like Keith did but common sense couldn’t help but point out there’d have to be another way to Keith’s place. After all, it’s not like Keith could climb the cliff, he’d have to go around when leaving his little shack.

The entire ride had been silent, apart from occasional whoops of joy from Lance or a heads up when the Garrison had still been in pursuit.

“Hold on!” Keith yelled over the wind, breaking the silence.

Lance tightened his grip around Keith’s waist and laughed out loud as the bike soared over the ledge. There was a moment of weightlessness before the bike turned into a steep dive and plummeted to the ground. At just the right moment Keith pulled up and the bike sped across the empty landscape.

Keith directed the bike towards another outcrop of red rocks and pulled over. Lance steeled himself, he should have realised Keith wouldn’t just invite a stranger over to his shack in the middle of nowhere. He would have to explain and hope Keith didn’t call him mad and abandon him in the desert, in the dark, all alone. It certainly sounded like something this Keith would do.

As the bike slowed to a halt, Lance let go of Keith but didn’t make a move to get off the bike. If he didn’t move then Keith couldn’t leave him behind. To Lance it seemed like a solid plan.

Keith hesitated, obviously waiting for Lance to get off. When Lance still didn’t move Keith roughly grabbed the keys, shutting the bike down and jumped off the bike. He moved jarringly, shoulders hunched. Lance smiled sheepishly, with Keith on the defence he was going to need to work extra hard to endear himself. Not an easy job, if Lance recalled correctly.

“Alright McClain time to explain. How did you know about the crash?”

“I looked at the sky?”

Keith’s expression clearly said ‘try again or so help me-‘

“I was _stargazing_.” Lance tried again.

Lance thought Keith was pretty close to pulling his own hair out. But his arms were crossed over his chest, trying to look intimidating. To Lance, though he’d never underestimate Keith the entire attempt was lost on him. Keith was so little! And the mullet!

“No. I’m not buying it. You know something.”

“Fine!” Lance cried out and threw his arms up. “I knew about the crash.”

“Have you seen the signs too?”

Lance frowned “What signs?”

Immediately, Keith shut off. Great, now Lance was the one that wanted to pull his own hair out.  He tried to think, or recall what Keith was talking about. He knew Keith had found the cave and the lion markings but how had Shiro’s crash been foretold? Did Lance miss out on Space Prophecies? Lance felt pretty confident that he would remember if Prophecies were a thing.

“I know about the cave and the engraved lions. Just like you”

Keith uncrossed his arms, Lance relaxed thinking he had finally defused the situation when Keith suddenly went on the offensive. Keith grabbed Lance by the scruff of his shirt and pulled him close. Lance froze, deciding the best thing to do in that moment was nothing.

“Are you spying on me?” Keith seethed.

Lance grimaced “Okay. Cool it Mullet. I can explain.”

Keith didn’t let go or move an inch.

“Go on.” He prompted.

Lance floundered. If he told him the truth, Keith would most likely think he was lying and not taking the situation seriously. Which would be a one way ticket to being ditched in the desert. Lance needed something that would stun him into submission.

“Shiro.”

“What?”

“Takashi Shirogane.”

For a moment, Keith’s grip loosened  and his eyes bore into Lance’s- before his fist tightened. One second Lance was on the bike. The next he was dragged off and pushed roughly against the rocks. Lance’s head bounced painfully on the boulder. He groaned.

Lance glared at Keith. The pain sparked his own short fuse regarding all matters that involved Keith and before his young friend could blink, Lance had reversed their positions. Lance held Keith in place with one hand against his chest, the other ready to stop him should Keith reach for his knife.

“Enough.” Lance growled.

Keith struggled for a moment before giving up to glare heatedly at Lance.

“Shiro was the pilot. I pulled him from the wreckage.”

“You’re lying.”

Lance spoke softly, conscious he was walking on thin ice.

“I wouldn’t lie to you Keith. Not about this.”

“Shiro’s de _ad_.” Keith voice cracked and when he tried to wrestle out of Lance’s hold, Lance let him.

“You don’t believe that.”

Keith twisted around and jabbed Lance in the chest.

“You don’t know me.”

Lance closed his eyes. He knew Keith and all of the other Paladins like the back of his hand and they knew him just as well. It was jarring and painful to realise the people he loved like family were mere shadows of who they had been. That he meant next to nothing to them. When he spoke, his voice was even, carefully controlled to hide how he really felt.

“I do.” He insisted “I know you don’t trust me and you have no real reason to but if you just- humour me for a bit then you’ll see.”

Keith hesitated.

“Fine.” He huffed, hiding his desperation to find Shiro alive behind gruffness.  “Where is he then? If Shiro’s alive then where’d you take him?”

Lance rubbed the back of his head and smiled sheepishly.

“Funny you should ask that.”

“Lance!?” Keith stressed.

“Ha! I knew it! You do recognise me.”

“You literally introduced yourself.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“ _So?”_ Keith drawled.

 _“_ Oh right. Yeah, so Adam should have dropped Shiro at your shack by now.”

“What!?”

-

When they pulled up to the shack Adam’s Garrison car was out front and empty. At the sound of the bike the front door opened and Hunk and Pidge rushed out.

Keith cut the bike’s engine and jumped off, Lance followed close behind when Keith suddenly grabbed Lance’s bicep and pulled him close and hissed in his ear.

“Who are they and what are they doing here?”

“That’s Hunk Garret he’s a Cadet too. The small one is Pidge Holt. Sam Holt’s youngest.”

“That doesn’t explain _why_ they’re here.”

“They helped rescue Shiro.”

“And where is he? I don’t see him bounding through the door like a lost puppy.”

Keith threw such a heated glare at Hunk and Pidge that Lance laughed out loud while they shrank back, intimidated. Lance wanted to pull them all into a hug. Lance wouldn’t say he missed the early days of infighting and arguments but there was something to be said about nostalgia.

“Hi.” Hunk said hesitantly with a sharp wave “Sorry to barge in uninvited. It’s been a crazy night.  Turns out aliens are real? And the Garrison are liars. Also there’s an alien warship on it’s way here right now and no one else seems to freaking out about it.”

Keith blinked at Lance, incredulous. Lance simply shrugged.

“We’ve been looking over your research and comparing it to my own,” Pidge added unapologetically “And Hunk recognised a Fraunhofer line that might lead us to Voltron.”

The three young versions of his friends looked to Lance, Pidge and Hunk eager to know if they were right while Keith was just confused.

“What’s Voltron?” Keith asked.

“A giant alien robot made up of five giant alien robot lions.” Lance responded, feeling a little smug to know so much more than his clever friends.

“Forget I asked.” Keith bemoaned and pushed past Hunk and Pidge.

Keith froze as the front door swung open and the rickety porch groaned as Shiro stepped out. Shiro smiled a soft, sad smile. Keith didn’t quite run but he was beside Shiro in a flash. Keith paused awkwardly until Shiro pulled Keith into a tight embrace.  Lance sniffled and turned away to give them privacy, dragging Hunk and Pidge with him.

-

Keith fell into the hug as easily as breathing. Though he’d never admit it, in that moment his breathe was coming quite short. Shiro was _alive_. He wanted to laugh. Or hit something. It was too overwhelming in the best of ways.

“Where have you been?” Keith asked.

Shiro pulled back from the hug and Keith got his first proper look at the man. He was wearing a set of his old workout clothes, stuff Keith had nicked before leaving the Garrison. Keith frowned as he noticed the arm, the cybernetic prosthetic was kind of cool if he didn’t try to think about what had actually happened to Shiro’s real arm. Also the hair was new and the scar too.

“It’s a long story and not one I can recall very well. I don’t even know how long I was gone.”

Shiro looked past Keith and towards the others. Keith wanted to roll his eyes at the reminder of McClain and his silly entourage.

“You’ve been gone a deca-pheob.” Lance told Shiro and walked to stand beside them both.

Keith had the unnecessary urge to stand between them.

 

“A what?” Shiro responded in what Keith recognised as his ‘I’m judging you voice’. Take that McClain.

“A deca-pheob.” Lance tried again before whatever braincells he had caught up and a figurative lightbulb flashed over his head. “A year.”

Shiro nodded, troubled.                                                                                                               

 “Do you know what happened to the rest of your crew?” The small one asked, as they suddenly appeared beside Keith and _almost_ \- but not quite spooked him.

McClain had said they were Dr. Holt’s youngest. Pidgeon was it? He couldn’t quite work out if they were a boy or girl, or neither; Keith reflected and decided not to label the kid. They would be Pidgeon forevermore until he was told otherwise. Still, Keith tried to recall if they had met, surely he had been introduced to the entire Holt family the day of the Kerberos mission lift off.

“I’m sorry Cadet but I don’t remember.”

“It’s okay Pidge,” Lance interrupted “Shiro might not remember right now but I do. Matt and Dr Holt are fine. We’re going to rescue them ASAP.”

“How can you know that?” Shiro questioned, shutting down the millions of questions that appeared to have been on _Pidge_ ’s tongue. Shiro forged on, asking the important questions that Keith wanted to know too. Honestly, who the hell did McClain think he is. “You know about the Galra. You know about Voltron. I just don’t see how you could possibly know these things.”

“Storytime?” Lance quipped. “Come on, I think it’s time I explain what the quiznack is going on.”

Lance forged ahead, entering Keith’s home without invitation. Keith looked to Shiro who was quietly mouthing the strange word Lance had just spoken. Shiro frowned before shrugging and turned to follow Lance.

Keith followed Shiro inside and immediately regretted it. As soon as Keith entered, Adam stood up abruptly from the couch. It wasn’t the first time he’d seen Adam since the mission was reported a failure, Shiro’s ex had been quite stubborn about keeping an eye on him. Still, Keith had to fight down the anger he felt at seeing him, he balled his hands into fists, the need to yell ‘I told you so’ festering deep inside him.

The others followed, filling the small space until Keith felt claustrophobic. He’d never seen so many people in the shack before.

McClain moved to the research board, smiling nostalgically. Keith wanted to gag or roll his eyes.

The others sat down, Keith remained standing. Shiro and Adam sat ramrod straight, painfully self-aware of each other. Keith glared at Adam. Pidge sat on the arm of the chair with Hunk next to Adam in the middle.

Keith couldn’t quite comprehend what was going on.

“Sooooo.” McClain dragged out and swung his arms around awkwardly.

“I’m from the future.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is going to be angsty and lots of exposition but it should be good. 
> 
> What did you think of Keith? He's such a moody dork!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was so difficult and did not play ball at all so sorry for the wait
> 
> It isn't even as angsty as expected  
> also  
> I'm on holiday and very jetlagged   
> America does not know how to make coffee :/ so blame the lack of good coffee for the slow/bad writing

Lance’s attempt to convince his young friends went a lot like this; he’d state a fact

i.e “I’m from the future.”

There would be an immediate uproar of disbelief. Hunk would express concern. Pidge would dissect and debunk. Shiro would do his best impression of a dad nodding along to their child’s narration of how their colourful scribbles represented family and friendship and that dog is obviously the king of canines giving a girl a piggy back ride. Lance could expect a cutting remark or burn from either Adam or Keith, sometimes both depending on what he said.

It was so predictable and in character that Lance had a retort for each of them until he had exhausted them all and they had no choice but to believe.

“So let me get this straight,” Shiro began, Adam coughed pointedly, Shiro spared him a half amused, half annoyed cursory glance before returning his attention to Lance- whom also had to wipe a cheeky grin off his face. Classic. “You’re from eight years in the future.”

Lance nodded, all business.

“Give or take a few deca-phoebs depending on who you’re taking about. You could say eleven years. I personally missed three years, so did Keith but he technically lived two years in the-“

“Let’s keep it simple and say eight. You spent two years fighting in a galactic war against the Galra. As a Paladin of Voltron with four of us? Voltron saved the universe and you became a… farmer for six years?”

 “We didn’t just save the universe. We saved all of reality.” Lance corrected.

“Right.” Shiro agreed, not really understanding the difference.

“I still don’t get how you ended up here. In your seventeen year old body.” Pidge jumped in.

“Are time machines a thing?” Hunk asked.

“I just don’t see how that’s plausible. Earth couldn’t possibly advance that far in eleven years.” Pidge added.

“I didn’t use a time machine. It was accidental. Besides ten thousand years ago Alteans had technology more advance than anything you can imagine. Earth is such a young planet in comparison to half the civilisations out there. Just you wait.” Lance spoke directly to Hunk and Pidge “You’re both going to love the stuff you’ll find in space.”

“I don’t know.” Hunk responded, nervous “Galactic wars sound kind of scary.”

Lance hesitated.

“Think of all of the alien cuisine and cultures your yet to experience.”

Hunk eyes shone. “You’re right.” He said “But I could experience that after the war right?”

 

“Of course.” Lance agreed.

The universe needed Voltron but Lance could never force Hunk or any of his friends to undertake such an mission. Lance had first had knowledge of what it would or could do to them. Lance smiled sadly.

 “That’s great and all,” Keith snapped “But you still haven’t explained the time travel.”

Lance’s jaw locked and he looked away, why did Keith always have to push.

“I don’t _know_ , okay Keith?” Lance snapped back “Five years ago the Lions left and none us have seen them since. We went on with our lives. Then about six months ago the Blades answered a distress call but it was too late. Some kind of anomaly had decimated an entire armada of refugees. The anomaly was gone but… being a paladin of Voltron it makes you sensitive to otherworldly forces if you will. Think astral planes and mind melds. Think the wildest sci-fi movie you’ve ever watched.”

“… and?” Keith muttered.

Lance wanted to pull his hair out. This Keith was so difficult!

“Well _my_ Keith,” Lance retorted. Keith’s eyebrows rose and he crossed his arms, probably insulted to think any version of Keith could be considered Lance’s. He didn’t mean it like that, maybe it had been a little too possessive. His cheeks warmed, embarrassed.

“He sensed something. Keith didn’t know it at the time but it was a tear in space and time. Reality was wounded. It still is. The old Voltron Coalition was reformed and did everything they could to understand the rift and to fix it but...”

Lance trailed off. He didn’t want to talk about it anymore. He was so close to opening a can of worms he didn’t want to address.

“But what?” Adam prompted.

“Without an Altean Alchemist  there was next to nothing we could do.”

“Alchemy?” Shiro questioned “As in, turning stuff to gold?”

“No.” Lance corrected softly “Think Space Magic.”

“You want me to believe in magic too?” Pidge huffed “Time travel. Sure. It’s every nerds dream.”

“It really is.” Hunk agreed.

“But _magic_? No way.”

Lance shut his eyes and fought against the images that came to mind. Pidge was so wrong.

“It’s real. Without it Voltron would never have been created.”

“That’s great and all,” Adam remarked “But it’s not like we have any proof Voltron exists.”

“I believe you.” Shiro said quietly.

Lance smiled grimly at Shiro, thankful for his support but knowing he must be recalling terrible things.

“Really?” Keith grilled.

“Yes.” Shiro’s tone spoke of no reproach, Keith simmered, annoyed but as always, inclined to follow Shiro’s lead. Lance did not expect Shiro to say more, his eyes and mind elsewhere until he looked to Lance sharply, gaze piercing. “Haggar- she was a druid. She used magic?”

“Not exactly. Ten thousand years ago she _was_ an Altean Alchemist but quintessence corrupted her.  She and her druids draw on raw quintessence to power their magic. Alteans, however draw on their own strength. I have often seen it used to heal. At the end of the war Haggar almost destroyed all of reality but…”

Lance’s voice catches, though it wasn’t the first time he had told the tale of Allura’s sacrifice it was still hard. Lance shared her legacy with anyone that would listen, desperate for Allura to live on in memory; for the universe to pay their respects. Yet, standing before those that shared his pain- that knew Allura intimately and understood his love for her and have them stare at him like a stranger. To not even know her name. Lance wanted to scream at the stars and never stop. It was unfair.

Hunk reached out and patted Lance on the arm, empathetic. Lance drew in a deep breath and smiled shakily. No matter what, it appeared that Hunk would always have his back.

“But Princess Allura of Altea sacrificed herself to heal reality. I thought she was gone but she appeared before me, just as the rift was about to destroy my ship. I should have died but she saved me again.”

“And she what, sent you here?” Pidge asked.

“I guess?” Lance shrugged.

“Why though? Didn’t she essentially kill you by sending you here?” Keith asked.

“She saved me.” Lance insisted.

“She didn’t save your seventeen year old self.” Keith retorted.

Lance paused, he hadn’t thought about that yet.

“I suppose. It’s not like I was never seventeen, it’s just been a few years for me. Besides, sacrifices have to be made.”

Hunk sniffled, Lance looked to him in alarm.

“Hey, hey it’s alright buddy. Seventeen wasn’t a great time for me anyway. I was _so_ insecure yet I still had the biggest head. I was too much of a flirt. Really, Hunk. Think of it this way, I just have eight years more practice at being your best bud.”

“What about Future Hunk? What’s he going to do without you?” Hunk sounded miserable at the thought.

Lance’s face crumbled. Just for a second before he pulled himself together and gathered his composure. He needed to be strong if this team was going to survive the next twenty-four hours and join forces as Voltron. Still, Lance hadn’t had a spare moment to really consider the people he left behind. Shiro must think he’s dead. He must feel awful for sending him out in the MFE. Hunk would be beside himself and with Shay in her condition- Lance’s heart stopped as he realised he was never going to meet his god-rock-child.

“He’s got people that love him. He’ll be okay, I promise.”

Shiro cleared his throat at the same time as Adam yawned. Lance shot a sharp look at Adam until he realised he wasn’t being mocked. It was just that late. Even Keith looked weary.

“I don’t think we can unpack everything in one night. Perhaps we can all get some rest and in the morning we can search for Voltron.”

“You’re right.” Lance agreed and started stretching, trying to shake out all of the heavy emotions. “I call dibs on that patch of floor.”

“I don’t recall volunteering my home.”

“Too bad your mum said I could stay.”

“I don’t have a mom.”

Lance was that close to asking about Krolia when it dawned on him that Keith had no idea. He caught his own tongue, mangling his words until it came out as garbled Spanish to save himself. Keith narrowed his eyes.

Lance looked away, catching Pidge looking at him with an inquisitive tilt to their face. Lance shook his head minutely, Pidge might not know Spanish but they knew Italian and sometimes that was enough for them to pick up on what Lance was saying. Lance didn’t want to let the… er Galra out of the bag so soon.

“It’s just for the night.” Lance tried.

“Fine.” Keith huffed and crossed his arms.

“Anyway… it’s time for the children to go to sleep.”

Simultaneously, the bones in each of their bodies seemed to melt. Exhausted, Hunk seemed ready to fall asleep where he sat and Pidge remained perched dangerously on the arm of the couch, eyes half hooded with sleep. Even Adam and Shiro, previously sat rigidly beside one another relaxed.

“Shiro if we could have a quick chat?” Lance asked. Shiro winced like a kid that had tried sneaking out of class before the teacher called about late homework. Begrudgingly Shiro slinked over to Lance and let himself be lead outside. Lance felt Keith and Adam’s glare on his back.

Lance tried not to feel too bad as Shiro waited, exhausted. He swayed slightly and Lance half expected to need to catch him. Lance had seen Shiro asleep on his feet before; particularly during stake outs but Lance was surprised to see Shiro so vulnerable so early on. Apart from the occasional bout of Shiro’s PTSD, it had taken a long of time for Lance to see cracks in his armour. Shiro had seemed like an invincible Greek God for the longest time.

“What did you need to talk about Lance?”

“It’s about Voltron.”

“What about it? I’m afraid I only know what you’ve told me.”

“Actually it’s more about the team. I feel like I’m talking like it’s going to happen just as it did before but last time- no one had a choice. By the time we got to space there was really only one option. Fight or die. Then it was let the Galra win or save the universe. Good vs bad. It’s not like anyone could really say no.”

“I don’t see how it’s any different now.”

“Of course it’s different! Shiro, we both know what it’s like out there. But they don’t! Pidge is fifteen. Their a child.”

“Pidge has a reason to fight, with Sam and Matt out there. I want to help find them.”

“And we will. I know Pidge has to find their family and Keith will fight without question. It’s not them that I’m so worried about.”

“Hunk?”

“Yeah.” Lance sighed “Space really changes him but also and I’m sorry to do this, you Shiro. What you went through- you shouldn’t need to jump straight into a war.”

Shiro’s jaw clenched and he looked away “Right now,” Shiro started, tension hidden underneath forced humour  “My immediate reaction is to be toxically masculine and deny everything.”

“Gross.” Lance teased.

Shiro let out a short laugh “ _I know._ You’re right, of course but it’s the right thing to do. By the sounds of it, I did okay. I made it out alright?”

Lance looked at Shiro’s hair which was usually a permanent reminder that his friend had died and Lance had failed to help him. Now, even after year enslaved and tortured and experimented on by the Galra, Shiro still looked young in comparison.

“The war made you prematurely grey.”

“It did not.”

“It did. Look it’s already started.”

“That was the witch though.”

“I don’t know have you looked at the back of your head recently?”

Shiro’s prosthetic hand ran through his hair before he suddenly stopped. Shiro regarded Lance for a moment.

“You’re teasing me aren’t you?”

Lance smiled cheekily. “No never.”

“I’ll be fine Lance. I want to stop the Galra. I could never stand aside knowing what I know- knowing what you know. I’m sure the others feel the same.”

Lance groaned. “I shouldn’t have said anything. I didn’t mean to pressure anyone into being a Paladin.”

“That’s not what I meant, because of you I know I have the strength to carry on. It’s… nice. It’s been a long time since my mortality hasn’t been at the forefront of my mind.”

Lance nodded even though he didn’t believe Shiro entirely. Lance should have known better than to blab everything. Also, Shiro had literally died. Lance felt bad for letting Shiro believe otherwise but considering he had technically been brought back to life, Lance considered it a minor detail in the grand scheme of things.

“Voltron will work itself out.” Shiro said “At least it sounds like it did last time. So I’m sure it will again. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Just because you know the future of one possible reality doesn’t mean you’ve suddenly taken our free will away.”

“I suppose.”

Shiro frowned a smile, one of those half-hearted smiles one does when their worried but trying to be comforting.  Lance returns the same pained smile. Shiro laughs and they both grin authentically.

“Thank you for saving me Lance. This might turn out to be the weirdest twenty-four hours I ever live but I’m still grateful.”

“You can count on me to make things weird and save the day. I’ve told be told it’s a talent.”

“I don’t doubt it.”

\--

 

Lance and Shiro talk for a little longer. Lance tries to be conscious that Shiro is dead on his feet but he’s so relieved that one relationship seems to be unaffected by the whole time travel thing. Sure, Shiro doesn’t know Lance but they’ve skipped the awkwardness of Lance as a subordinate desperate for Shiro’s approval. It’s more like their equals now, just as it had been when Lance last joined Shiro on the Atlas.

Shiro yawns and Lance finally nudges Shiro towards the door.

“Are you coming in?”

“Not yet.” Lance replied “I’ve no need to rush, I called dibs on the floor remember?”

“True. Goodnight Lance.”

“Night.”

At the sound of the door being opened and closed Lance let his shoulders fall and breathed out shakily. He looked to the stars, searching for answers but whipped around at the sound of voices. Lance glowered at the sight of Adam and Shiro, talking on the veranda. Adam was going to be a problem.

Adam pulled Shiro into a quick, awkward embrace. From over Shiro’s shoulder Lance could see Adam’s troubled expression, eyes squeezed shut. The hug ended, Shiro ruffled his hair awkwardly and watched Adam descend the steps.

Lance tensed.

Adam kept walking until Lance reached out and grabbed him by the bicep and kept his voice low.

“Where are you going?”

“The Garrison. _Not_ ,” Adam stressed “To rat you all out. Somehow they knew or feared it would be Shiro and they choose to keep that from me. If I don’t go back then they’ll know I found him and they’ll track you through me or the car’s GPS.”

Lance nodded slowly and considered his options. Adam was most likely telling the truth and even if he wasn’t, Lance was certain he could evade the Garrison long enough to reach Blue. The best option however would be for Adam not to leave his sight.

“You could always come with us. We could leave now, the Garrison won’t be able to track us down quick enough.”

Adam shook his head, a bittersweet smile on his lips.

“They need a break. Let them sleep for the night.”

Lance sighed. “I know. We won’t stay gone for long. Not this time. Earth needs to be fortified, with Altean tech and plenty of time, I think we can protect her. Maybe then you can join us.”

At that, Adam looked to Shiro. He was still on the veranda, loitering. Shiro looked away suddenly, Lance though he might be blushing after he was caught staring. Adam looked nostalgic and conflicted.

“Did it work out between us in the end?” He asked.

Lance bit his lip. He shouldn’t say anything about what he knows. For multiple reasons. Adam being dead for one. Also Curtis, one of Lance’s good friends and in Lance’s humble opinion the love of Shiro’s life. Adam seemed alright but Lance knows how much Shiro loves Curtis. It would feel like a betrayal yet-

“Ah.” Adam ducked his head “Exactly.”

“To be fair,” Lance floundered and tried to save the situation “It was like five years before any of us came back to Earth.”

“Oh. Yeah, please don’t take five years this time.”

“We won’t, I promise. Earth needs defending. It might be Voltron’s only true weakness.”

Adam clapped Lance on the shoulder.

“Good luck Lance. You’re going to be a good leader, I think.”

Lance abruptly fell into a coughing fit. “Me? I’m not the leader. No- I’m the Red or Blue Paladin. Not Black- that’s Shiro and Keith.”

Adam appeared bemused. “Whatever that means I have a feeling you might surprise yourself. You certainly surprised me.”

Lance looked down and frowned. He wasn’t a leader. An advisor sure, he’d been Keith’s right hand- or arm quite literally but Black had never shown any inclination towards choosing him.

“It’s time that I go.”

Adam squeezed Lance’s shoulder and let go. Lance watched him walk away, wondering if he should have pushed further to convince him to join them.

“Wait.”

Adam stopped. Lance rushed up to him and spoke to him quietly.

“Can I ask a favour?”

Adam hesitated “You’re not going to pull a gun on me if I say no right?”

Lance put his hands up in a universal sign for peace.

“I got rid of the gun, pinky promise.”

Adam rolled his eyes at Lance’s offered pinky. Lance smiled ruefully.

“What did you do with it?”

“Ask Iverson about it.”

Adam looked at his quizzically but didn’t question him. “…Alright, what is it that you want?”

“Well-“

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may or may not write more while on Holiday
> 
> Also what's the census on Adam? There's an opening for Adam come back and go to Space with them but it can also just be the original team. Up to you (the readers) because I'm happy to write it either way <3

**Author's Note:**

> I'll post the next chapter in a day or two.  
> Let me know what you thought? Hope you enjoyed it!


End file.
